The
primary reason for having a structured scientific diving program is to
allow educational and scientific diving to be conducted safely and effectively
outside the restrictive standards created by OSHA (Occupational Safety
and Health Administration) for commercial divers. From 1977 until 1982,
research divers from across the country, including a group called the
American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) petitioned to exempt scientific
divers from the "commercial diver" category. The scientific
diving programs in effect at the time had impressive safety records and
had been essentially self-regulated, with their own operational standards
and guidelines.

In
1982, OSHA exempted scientific diving from commercial diving regulations
(29 CFR Part 1910, Subpart T) under certain conditions which are outlined
below. The final guidelines for the exemption became effective in 1985
(Federal Register, Vol. 50, No.6, p.1046). The American Academy of Underwater
Sciences (AAUS) is recognized by OSHA as the scientific diving standard
setting organization.

Scientific
Diving Definition:

Scientific
diving is defined (29 CFR 1910.402) as diving performed solely as a necessary
part of a scientific, research, or educational activity by employees whose
sole purpose for diving is to perform scientific research tasks.

Scientific
Diving Exemption:

OSHA
has granted an exemption for scientific diving from commercial diving
regulations under the following guidelines:

The
Diving Control Board consists of a majority of active scientific divers
and has autonomous and absolute authority over the scientific diving
program's operation.

The
purpose of the project using scientific diving is the advancement of
science; therefore, information and data resulting from the project
are non-proprietary.

The
tasks of a scientific diver are those of an observer and data gatherer.
Construction and trouble-shooting tasks traditionally associated with
commercial diving are not included within scientific diving.

Scientific
divers, based on the nature of their activities, must use scientific
expertise in studying the underwater environment and therefore, are
scientists or scientists-in-training.

In
addition, the scientific diving program shall contain at least the following
elements:

A
Diving Safety Manual which includes at a minimum: Procedures covering
all diving operations specific to the program; including procedures
for emergency care, recompression and evacuation; and the criteria for
diver training and certification.

A
Diving Control Board, with the majority of its members being active
scientific divers, which shall at a minimum have the authority to: approve
and monitor diving projects, review and revise the diving safety manual,
assure compliance with the manual, certify the depths to which a diver
has been trained, take disciplinary action for unsafe practices, and
assure adherence to the buddy system (a diver is accompanied by and
is in continuous contact with another diver in the water) for scuba
diving.

Scientific
Diving at Stanford:

Stanford University, an organizational member of the AAUS, implemented
a formal Scientific Diving Program in 1985, under the direction of a Diving
Control Board and a Diving Safety Officer. The AAUS Standards for Scientific
Diving (2001) have been used as minimal guidelines for the development
of Stanford University's scientific diving standards. The standards for
diving safety, training, experience, and certification outlined in Stanford's
Diving Safety Manual are designed to ensure that all diving under the
auspices of Stanford University is conducted in a manner that will maximize
protection of divers from accidental injury and/or illness while furthering
research and safety, and to allow a working reciprocity between Stanford
University and other institutions with scientific diving programs whose
standards meet or exceed those of the AAUS.

Stanford
has a varied group of researchers in the marine sciences who regularly
use scuba as a means for data collection. Research includes topics in
genetics, physiology, phycology, biomechanics,
fluid mechanics, and subtidal ecology. During the spring and summer of each year, students
from Stanford and other institutions come to Hopkins for an in-residence
learning experience in the field of marine biology. The summer curriculum
includes a subtidal ecology course where
students learn scuba sampling techniques and gather data for class projects. New offerings beginning in the spring and summer of 2012 are Scientific Diver Training sessions and workshops to encourage greater participation in Stanford research diving at Hopkins and elsewhere.
Recreational diving is not conducted under Stanford's auspices, but certified
scuba divers may enjoy Monterey-area diving while studying at Hopkins,
as long as their dives are off-campus, unrelated to Stanford research
or coursework, and involve no Stanford equipment. Divers wishing to enter
Stanford's program in order to conduct research or coursework must meet
a number of requirements, which are described in the PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS(Prerequisites for diving in Stanford's program, requirements for scientific diver certification, and links to necessary forms. ).